Method of calling up called party, communication equipment, calling party information server, and calling control device

ABSTRACT

To make a call, a calling-end terminal station ( 3 ) notifies a call-up control unit ( 71 ) of a communications network ( 7 ) of the terminal station number of a called-end terminal station ( 5 ) so as to cause it to stand by for a connection. The calling-end terminal station ( 3 ) notifies a calling party information server ( 9 ) of the calling-end-terminal-station number and the called-end-terminal-station number and instructs it to transmit to the called-end terminal station ( 5 ) calling party information stored in advance for the caller and called parties. The calling party information server ( 9 ) transmits the calling party information to the called-end terminal station ( 5 ) which in turn instructs the call-up control unit ( 71 ) to exit standby mode. This amounts to the communications network ( 7 ) calling up the called-end terminal station ( 5 ), resulting in the called-end terminal station ( 5 ) reproducing the received calling party information to alert the user to the call from the calling-end terminal station ( 3 ). If the user accepts the call, voice communication is started between the calling-end terminal station ( 3 ) and the called-end terminal station ( 5 ). A communications system is thereby realized whereby alert data to alert to a call can be altered according to the calling party with no settings at the called end.

This application is the national phase under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of PCTInternatonal Application No. PCT/JP01/02843 which has an Internationalfiling date of Mar. 30, 2001, which designated the United state ofAmerica.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a call-up method for a communications systemwhich includes an alerting step for the called-end device to alert auser to an incoming call based on alert data, prior to a communicationsstep for a calling-end device to establish communication with acalled-end device over a communications network, and in particular, acall-up method capable of conveying information on the calling partybased on alert data corresponding to the calling end in response to anincoming call with no settings in the called-end device, as well as acommunications apparatus, a calling party information server, andcall-up control device which execute the method.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In mobile phone and other communications systems where the phone numberof a calling party is conveyed to a called party, those mobile phonesare used which are capable of conveying, in response to an incomingcall, information on the calling party based on settings specified by auser in advance. For example, if the mobile phone has an address bookwhere the mobile phone user has saved combinations of phone numbers andnames, the mobile phone searches the address book for a name whichmatches the calling party's phone number received together with anincoming call and, if there is a match, displays that name. The user isthereby notified of the name of the calling party and can decide whetherto accept the call by, for example, guessing its importance beforehand.Some new mobile phones are capable of displaying a portrait, as well asthe name, of the calling party by additionally storing portraits in theaddress book.

There are also mobile phones in use equipped with an address book whichmay allow the mobile phone user to separate the phone numbers intogroups and assign a different jingle to a different group. The phonewill search the address book for a match based on the calling party'sphone number and replay the jingle of the group to which the phonenumber belongs. The user can tell one group from another by the jingles.

These conventional technologies inevitably require that settings be madeon the called end to make reference to the address book in the mobilephone at the called end. Setting up becomes increasingly bothersome asmore and more people are added to the address book.

These problems are particularly serious with recent mobile phones andother communications devices capable of displaying character images andanimation. Although the devices provide a wider variety of expressionswhich are easily and intuitively distinguishable, the creation of anintuitively identifiable character image or animation for each callingparty tends to require increasing amounts of work.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The invention has an objective to offer a call-up method capable ofchanging alert data from which an alert to an incoming call isreproduced, in accordance with a calling party with no settings made atthe called end, as well as a communications apparatus, a calling partyinformation server, and call-up control device which execute the method.

To achieve the above objectives, a method of calling up a called partyin accordance with the invention comprises the alerting step ofalerting, prior to the communications step of causing a calling-enddevice to communicate with a called-end device over a communicationsnetwork, to reception of a call by reproducing alert data at a calledend,

the method being characterized in that it further comprises:

the determining step of determining calling party information at acalling end;

the transmitting step of conveying to the called-end device transmitteddata representative of the calling party information determined in thedetermining step; and

the alert data designating step of designating the calling partyinformation represented by the transmitted data as the alert data.

In the configuration, prior to the communications step, the calling enddetermines calling party information and transmits transmitted datarepresentative of the calling party information to the called-enddevice. The transmitted data may be the calling party information itselfor data which allows for identifying the calling party information, suchas, identification code. In the latter case, the calling partyinformation is distinguishable in transmitted data, and the called-enddevice can therefore acquire the calling party information, without thecalling party information represented by the transmitted data, by, forexample, acquiring the calling party information identified in thetransmitted data from a server or the like storing calling partyinformation. Besides, the transmitted data and the calling partyinformation may be transmitted from the calling-end device to thecalled-end device directly over the communications network or through acalling party information server provided on the communications networkto store calling party information in advance. In this case, the callingparty information server transmits calling party information to thecalled-end device in response to an instruction from the calling-enddevice or the called-end device among others.

Whichever the case is, the called-end device identifies the callingparty information and reproduces the calling party information as alertdata, based on transmitted data conveyed, so as to alert the user to anincoming call. Further, the called-end device accepts the call andcommunicates with the calling-end device if it is in conditions toaccept the call.

According to the configuration, the alert data reproduced by acalled-end device upon the reception of a call prior to communicationsvaries according to the calling party information determined at thecalling end. As a result, the user of the called-end device can inferthe calling party, emergency, etc. based on the alert data and determinewhether he/she will accept the call.

Besides, since the calling party information is determined at thecalling end, the user of the called-end device does not have to make anysettings. This requires less work on the called party even when thecalling party information (alert data) is animation or other types ofmedia which requires a lot of work to make.

Incidentally, in the method of calling up a called party, the alert datais determined at the calling end, and there is a possibility thatcalling party information which the called end does not want to receivemay be reproduced as alert data. Besides, the calling party informationmay be transmitted even when the transmission is needless: for example,when the user is not anywhere near the called-end device and the calledend cannot accept the call whoever the calling party is. Such needlesstransmission adds to the burden on the communications network,especially when the calling party information consists of large data,such as animation or other types of moving pictures.

Therefore, a method of calling up a called party in accordance with theinvention preferably comprises the above detailed steps and furthercomprises the specifying step of specifying in advance whether thecalling party information is designated as the alert data.

According to the configuration, since it is specified at the called endin advance whether the calling party information is to be designated asalert data, the user of the called-end device can refuse unwantedcalling party information. In addition, since the transmit of thecalling party information can be omitted when no settings are required,a reduced amount of data needs to be transmitted over the communicationsnetwork, which reduces the traffic on the communications network.

In addition to the above steps, the determining step may include theselecting step of selecting calling party information to be used inplacement of a call from predetermined multiple sets of data that can bedesignated as calling party information when the call is placed.

According to the configuration, since calling party information isselected from multiple sets of data predetermined for each call, callingparty information more suited to the conditions upon a call up can bedetermined without adding to the required work at the calling end thanwhen calling party information is fixed. As a result, the called-enddevice can reproduce alert data which is more suited to the conditionsupon a call up and more appropriately convey the conditions upon a callup.

Here, the calling party information may be transmitted from thecalling-end device to the called-end device. In many cases, however,communications capacity is difficult to improve between the calling-enddevice and the communications network than of the communications pathbetween the calling party information server and the communicationsnetwork, because calling-end devices outnumber calling party informationservers (detailed later). Especially, when the calling-end device isportable or other types of devices which connect to a communicationsnetwork via a wireless communications path, communications capacity ismore difficult to improve. As a result, transmitting calling partyinformation which consists of large data, such as animation or othertypes of moving pictures adds to the traffic on the communicationsnetwork. Besides, in this case, since the calling-end device needs tostore each set of calling party information, even when the calling-enddevice is portable or other types of devices which is required to besmall and lightweight rather than capacious, storage space cannot bereduced.

Therefore, the transmitting step preferably includes the step in which acalling party information server provided on the communications networkto store calling party information transmits to the called-end devicecalling party information as transmitted data in response to aninstruction from the calling-end device.

According to the configuration, the calling party information istransmitted from the calling party information server to the called-enddevice in response to an instruction from the calling-end device.Besides, the calling party information, once stored on the calling partyinformation server, does not need to retransmitted from the calling-enddevice so far as the same calling party information is used. Therefore,the calling party information can be transmitted to the called-enddevice without adding to the storage space on the calling-end device orthe traffic on the communications network when compared with the casewhere the calling party information is transmitted from the calling-enddevice for every call.

Besides, another transmitting method may further include the step inwhich, if the calling party information represented by the transmitteddata received is not stored on the called-end device, the called-enddevice receives calling party information from a calling partyinformation server provided on the communications network to storecalling party information.

According to the configuration, the called-end device determines whetherthe calling party information represented by the transmitted datareceived is already stored and if not, receives calling partyinformation from the calling party information server. As a result,similarly to the configuration in which the calling party informationserver transmits calling party information to the called-end device inresponse to an instruction from the calling-end device, no calling partyinformation is transmitted from the calling-end device. The callingparty information can therefore be transmitted to the called-end devicewithout adding to the storage space on the calling-end device or thetraffic on the communications network. In addition, if the calling partyinformation is stored on the called-end device, no transmission isrequired from the calling party information server to the called-enddevice, further reducing the traffic on the communications network.

Incidentally, in cases where a calling party information server isprovided, the called-end device may maintain line connection to thecalling party information server and to the calling-end devicesimultaneously; the timing adjusting step however is preferably furtherincluded of delaying line connection between the calling-end device andthe called-end device until the calling party information servercompletely transmits the calling party information.

According to the configuration, line connection between the calling-enddevice and the called-end device is delayed until the calling partyinformation server completely transmits calling party information to thecalled-end device. Thus, even when there is only one line that cansimultaneously connect the called-end device to the communicationsnetwork, calling party information can be acquired from a calling partyinformation server different from the calling-end device without anyproblems, thereby reducing the traffic on the communications network andsimplifying the configuration of the called-end device when comparedwith a case where the called-end device simultaneously occupies two ormore lines.

Meanwhile, a communications apparatus in accordance with the inventionincludes incoming call alerting means for alerting a user to an incomingcall by reproducing predetermined alert data and communications meansfor when the incoming call is accepted, communicating with a calling-enddevice over a communications network, and to achieve the aboveobjectives, is characterized in that the apparatus comprises:

receiving means for receiving from the communications networktransmitted data representative of calling party information instructedfor by the calling-end device; and

alert data designating means for designating the calling partyinformation represented by the transmitted data as the alert data.

Incidentally, similarly to the aforementioned method of calling up acalled party, the transmitted data may be the calling party informationitself or data which allows for identifying the calling partyinformation. Besides, the transmitted data and the calling partyinformation may be transmitted from the calling-end device to thecommunications apparatus as a called-end device directly over thecommunications network or through a calling party information serverprovided on the communications network to store calling partyinformation in advance.

In the configuration, the receiving means, prior to communications bythe communications means, receives transmitted data representative ofcalling party information instructed for by the calling-end device fromthe communications network, and the alert data designating meansspecifies the calling party information represented by the transmitteddata as the alert data. Meanwhile, the incoming call alerting meansreproduces the specified calling party information (alert data) to alertthe user to the call. Further, if the call is accepted, thecommunications means initiates communications between the calling-enddevice and the communications apparatus as a called-end device.

Thus, the communications apparatus in the configuration works as acalled-end device and alerts to the call by the aforementioned method ofcalling up a called party; therefore, the alert data reproduced by acalled-end device upon the reception of a call prior to communicationscan be changed according to the calling party information specified atthe calling end. As a result, the user of the called-end device caninfer the calling party, emergency, etc. based on the alert data withoutspecial settings as with prior art, and determine, for example, whetherhe/she will accept the call.

Besides, a communications apparatus in accordance with the invention mayinclude, in addition to the foregoing configuration, specifying meansfor specifying whether or not to activate the alert data designatingmeans. According to the configuration, it can be determined whether tospecify the calling party information as alert data using specifyingmeans in the communications apparatus which serves as a called end. As aresult, the aforementioned unwanted calling party information can berefused, the traffic on the communications network can be reduced.

Further, a communications apparatus in accordance with the invention mayinclude, in addition to either of the foregoing configurations, callingparty information acquiring means for accessing a predetermined callingparty information server based on the transmitted data to receivecalling party information represented by the transmitted data.

According to the configuration, since the calling party information istransmitted from the calling party information server provided on thecommunications network to the communications apparatus as a called-enddevice, the calling-end device only has to notify the communicationsapparatus of transmitted data representative of the calling partyinformation. As a result, the calling party information can betransmitted to the communications apparatus without adding to thestorage space on the calling-end device or the traffic on thecommunications network when compared with the case where the callingparty information is transmitted from the calling-end device for everycall.

Besides, a communications apparatus in accordance with the invention mayinclude, in addition to either of the foregoing configuration, storagemeans for storing calling party information in association withtransmitted data received and transmission inhibiting means for, ifthere is stored calling party information corresponding to transmitteddata received by the receiving means in the storage means, inhibitingtransmission of new calling party information from the communicationsnetwork.

In the configuration, if the storage means of the communicationsapparatus has calling party information corresponding to the transmitteddata stored thereon, the transmission inhibiting means inhibitstransmission of new calling party information by, for example, refusingreception when notified from the calling-end device, the calling partyinformation server, or the like that calling party information is to betransmitted or issuing no request when the communications apparatus atthe called end makes a request to the calling party information serverfor calling party information. As a result, the traffic is reduced onthe communications network when compared with the configuration in whichthe communications apparatus receives calling party information forevery call.

Meanwhile, a calling party information server in accordance with theinvention, to achieve the above objectives, is characterized in that itincludes:

storage means for storing calling party information enabling acalled-end device to alert to an incoming call;

registering means for registering calling party information in advancein the storage means in association with a calling-end device based onan instruction of a user of the calling-end device; and

calling party information transmitting means for transmitting to thecalled-end device the calling party information stored in the storagemeans in association with the calling-end device after the calling-enddevice places a call, and before the called-end device accepts the call.

According to the configuration, the user of the calling-end deviceinstructs the registering means in the calling party information serverto store on the storage means calling party information in associationwith the calling-end device. Meanwhile, as the calling-end device placesa call, the calling party information transmitting means in the callingparty information server detects the call by means of notification orthe like from, for example, the calling-end device, the called-enddevice, or the communications network and then transmits the callingparty information, corresponding to the calling-end device, which isread out from the storage means to the called-end device before thecalled-end device accepts the call. Thus, the calling party informationspecified at the calling end is transmitted to the called-end device andused by the called-end device to alert to the call.

Meanwhile, a calling party information server in accordance with theinvention, to achieve the above objectives, is characterized in that itincludes:

storage means for storing calling party information enabling acalled-end device to alert to an incoming call; and

calling party information transmitting means for reading out the callingparty information from the storage means based on an instruction from acalling-end device and transmitting the readout calling partyinformation to the called-end device before the called-end deviceaccepts the call.

According to the configuration, the calling party informationtransmitting means reads out calling party information from the storagemeans based on an instruction from the calling-end device fortransmission to the called-end device. Thus, the calling partyinformation specified at the calling end is transmitted to thecalled-end device and used by the called-end device to alert to thecall.

Like these, the calling party information servers having the foregoingconfigurations transmit calling party information for alerting to a callby the aforementioned method of calling up a called party; therefore,without any special settings as in conventional techniques, the user ofthe called-end device can infer the calling party, emergency, etc. basedon alert data and determine whether to accept the call. Besides, sincethe calling party information is transmitted from the calling partyinformation server, the traffic is reduced on the communications networkwhen compared with the case where the information is transmitted fromthe calling-end device for every call.

Besides, a call-up control device in accordance with the invention, toachieve the above objectives, is provided on a communications networkwhich is connectable to a calling-end device, a called-end device, and acalling party information server of the aforementioned configuration andcharacterized in that if a call-up of the called-end device by thecalling-end device is detected, the call-up control device holds thecall-up of the called-end device until the calling party information iscompletely transmitted from the calling party information server to thecalled-end device.

In the configuration, if a call-up of the called-end device by thecalling-end device is detected, the call-up control device holds thecall-up of the called-end device until the calling party informationserver completely transmits calling party information to the called-enddevice. Upon the completion of the transmission, the call-up controldevice calls up the called-end device. As a result, a called-end devicewhich can be connected to the communications network only by a singleline can receive calling party information from a calling partyinformation server other than the calling-end device without anyproblems before the called-end device accepts a call made by thecalling-end device. Therefore, the traffic is reduced on thecommunications network and the configuration of the called-end device issimplified, when compared with the case where the called-end devicesolely occupies two or more lines to receive calling party information.

For a fuller understanding of the nature, advantages, and benefits ofthe invention, reference should be made to the ensuing detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1, showing an embodiment of the invention, is a block diagram ofthe configuration of major parts of a communications system.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart describing operations of various parts of thecommunications system to initiate a call.

FIG. 3, showing another embodiment of the invention, is a block diagramof the configuration of major parts of a calling-end terminal station.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the configuration of major parts of acommunications system including the calling-end terminal station.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart describing operations of various parts of thecommunications system to initiate a call.

FIG. 6, showing a further embodiment of the invention, is a blockdiagram of the configuration of major parts of a communications system.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the configuration of major parts of acalling-end terminal station in the communications system.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the configuration of major parts of acalled-end terminal station in the communications system.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart describing operations of various parts of thecommunications system to initiate a call.

FIG. 10, showing another embodiment of the invention, is a block diagramof the configuration of major parts of a communications system.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of the configuration of major parts of acalling-end terminal station in the communications system.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram of the configuration of major parts of acalled-end terminal station in the communications system.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart describing operations of various parts of thecommunications system to initiate a call.

FIG. 14, showing another embodiment of the invention, is a block diagramof the configuration of major parts of a communications system.

FIG. 15 a flow chart describing operations of various parts of thecommunications system to initiate a call.

FIG. 16, showing another embodiment of the invention, is a block diagramof the configuration of major parts of a communications system.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram of the configuration of major parts of acalled-end terminal station in the communications system.

FIG. 18 is a flow chart describing operations of various parts of thecommunications system to initiate a call.

BEST MODES OF THE INVENTION

The following will discuss the invention in more detail by way ofembodiments and comparative examples, which by no means restricts theinvention.

Embodiment 1

The following will describe an embodiment of the invention in referenceto FIGS. 1, 2. A communications system 1 of the present embodimentenables a called-end device to, prior to the establishment of voicecommunication, alert a user to an incoming call by, for example,reproducing a jingle, animation, or other information on the callingparty. As shown in FIG. 1, the system 1 includes: terminal stations 3, 5serving as a calling-end device and a called-end device (communicationsapparatus) respectively; a communications network 7 (e.g., publicnetwork or packet communications network) connecting the two terminalstations 3, 5; and a calling party information server 9 which storescalling party information specified in advance by a calling party andtransmits that information to the called-end terminal station 5 forreproduction to alert a user to an incoming call when the calling-endterminal station 3 makes a call to the called-end terminal station 5.

In the configuration, the calling party information based on which thecalled-end terminal station 5 alerts the user to an incoming call is thecalling party information transmitted from the calling party informationserver 9, that is, the calling party information specified in advance bythe calling party. With no settings or specification made by the calledparty, the called-end terminal station 5 can switch the calling partyinformation for alert reproduction in response to an incoming call sothat the information matches the calling party.

The description below assumes, as a preferred example, that the terminalstations 3, 5 are mobile phones or other hand-held terminal stationdevices; the invention is however not restricted to mobile phones andother wireless communications systems, but widely applicable tofixed-wire-based communications systems. The calling party informationmay be conveyed as sounds, such as a jingle (alert jingle), or images,be it still or animated (alert animation), as long as more than one setof information can be specified to distinguish between calling partieswhen alerting the user to an incoming call, that is, before the calledparty responds to the incoming call. The information may be given aslight, such as flickering of a light source, or vibration. The followingdescription will be made assuming that the calling party information isconveyed as animated images.

Accordingly, the called-end terminal station 5 of the present embodimentincludes, for example: a transmitting/receiving unit 51 capable ofconnecting to the communications network 7 via a wireless communicationspath or the like by, for example, communicating with a base station (notshown); a calling party information reproducing unit (incoming callalerting means) 52 which alerts the user to the reception of a call bymeans of reproduction from predetermined calling party information whenthe transmitting/receiving unit 51 is notified of an outgoing call fromthe calling-end terminal station 3 over the communications network 7;and a voice communication processing unit (communications means) 53which handles voice communication with the calling-end terminal station3 when the user responds to the call. Note in the present embodimentthat the calling party information is given in the form of animation andalso that the calling party information reproducing unit 52 alerts theuser to the reception of a call by displaying the calling partyinformation received by a calling-party-information receiving unit 54 asan animated image on a liquid crystal display or like display unit.

The called-end terminal station 5 of the present embodiment furtherincludes: the calling-party-information receiving unit 54 which, beforealerting the user to the reception of a call, receives the calling partyinformation output from the calling party information server 9 whichmatches the calling-end terminal station 3 and also causes the callingparty information reproducing unit 52 to reproduce an alert from thecalling party information; and a standby-exit instructing unit 55 whichinstructs a call-up control unit 71 (will be detailed later) delaying acall-up from the calling-end terminal station 3 to the called-endterminal station 5 to exit the standby mode by, for example,transmitting a request for connection to a predetermined number when thereception of the calling party information is finished. In the presentembodiment, the calling party information is received as such as thetransmitted data recited in claims; therefore thecalling-party-information receiving unit 54 corresponds to the alertdata designating means, setting means, and receiving means recited inclaims.

Meanwhile, the calling-end terminal station 3 includes: atransmitting/receiving unit 31 and a voice communication processing unit32 which are respectively similar to the transmitting/receiving unit 51and the voice communication processing unit 53; a calling instructingunit 33 where an instruction is made for a call to be made thecalled-end terminal station 5 by, for example, manipulating keys,entering a phone number directly, or selecting a desired number (calledparty) from those registered in advance; and calling and called ends'terminal station number transmitting units 34, 35 which notify thecalling party information server 9 of the numbers of the calling andcalled ends' terminal stations 3, 5 by, for example, making a call to apredetermined phone number when there is an instruction for a call.

As with ordinary and other kinds of wireless phone networks, thecommunications network 7, when receiving a connection request from anygiven device capable of connecting to the communications network 7,notifies a device stipulated in the request of the reception of a calland, when the called-end device responds to the call, establishconnection between the two devices. Further, the communications network7 of the present embodiment includes the call-up control unit (call-upcontrol device) 71 which delays a call-up from the calling-end terminalstation 3 to the called-end terminal station 5 and calls up thecalled-end terminal station 5 only after the called-end terminal station5 has received the calling party information.

This reduces the number of lines required at any moment and thus thetraffic on the communications network 7, compared to a case where thecalling party information is transmitted via a second line afterconnection is established via a first line between the calling-endterminal station 3 and the called-end terminal station 5. Further, whenthe called-end terminal station 5 has only one line available toestablish connection, the called-end terminal station 5 is connected tothe calling-end terminal station 3 via a line without any problem afterthe calling party information server 9 transmits the calling partyinformation, which allows for a simplified configuration of thecalled-end terminal station 5 in comparison with establishing connectionvia two or more lines.

Meanwhile, the calling party information server 9 of the presentembodiment, arranged so as to transmit the calling party informationidentified by means of the calling-end terminal station number and thecalled-end terminal station number, includes: a calling partyinformation data base (DB) 91 which stores the calling party informationin association with the two terminal station numbers; a number receivingunit 92 which receives the numbers of the calling and called-endterminal stations from the two terminal station number transmittingunits 34, 35 in the calling-end terminal station 3; acalling-party-information acquiring unit 93 which acquires the callingparty information corresponding to the two terminal station numbersreceived by making reference to the calling party information DB 91; acalling party information transmitting unit 94 which transmits thecalling party information acquired by the calling-party-informationacquiring unit 93 to the calling-party-information receiving unit 54 inthe called-end terminal station 5 by, for example, calling at thecalled-end terminal station number received by the number receiving unit92. The calling party information server 9 further includes aregistration unit 95 which receives data representative of a combinationof the calling and called-end terminal station numbers and the callingparty information the calling-end terminal station 3 per se, or anyanother information device operated by the calling party over thecommunications network 7 and registers that combination of the twonumbers and the calling party information with the calling partyinformation DB 91.

The calling party information DB 91 in the calling party informationserver 9 may store frames in bitmap format when the animation as thecalling party information is stored, in which case the calling partyinformation server 9 transmits the bitmap frames as the calling partyinformation to the called-end terminal station 5 where the calling partyinformation reproducing unit 52 displays each bitmap frame sequentiallyto replay the animation.

When the animation is stored, key frames, constituting features of eachframe, may be described using combinations of geometric patterns likecircles, squares, and letters, in which case the calling partyinformation reproducing unit 52 in the terminal station 5 reproduces theanimation by producing frames by means of interpolation of framesbetween the key frames where necessary and drawing geometric patternsconstituting the frames. When stored as key frames, the calling partyinformation DB 91 preferably stores data representative of geometricpatterns corresponding between the key frames, in which case theinterpolation can be done more suitably by interpolating so thatdiffering positions and colors change smoothly in the correspondinggeometric patterns. The workload on the terminal station 5 reduces Ifthe interpolation is done in the calling party information server 9which has relatively sufficient operating capability, rather than in theterminal station 5, before the interpolated frames are transmitted.

An alternative way to store is to store animation of possible movementsof each character and store the animation as combinations of movements,in which case the data representative of the combinations of movementsof a character and at least the animation of movements are transmittedfrom the calling party information server 9 to the terminal station 5where the calling party information reproducing unit 52 reproduces theanimation of movements in the sequence of the combinations to reproducethe animation.

The calling party information DB 91 uses less of its storage space byhence storing as combinations of key frames or combinations ofcharacters and movements, than by storing each frame in bitmap format,and especially so in the communications system 1 of the presentembodiment in which the calling party information server 9 storescalling party information (animation) of each user and enables datarepresentative of common geometric patterns and character images to beshared among the users.

Further, the registration unit 95 may conveyed animated images orcombinations of characters and movements to the calling-end terminalstation 3 for selection by the user of the terminal station 3, whichenables the animation as the calling party information to be createdwithout producing each frame of the animation and thus greatly saveslabor in creating it. In this configuration, the calling partyinformation server 9 stores the animation as the calling partyinformation, and the communications system 1 as a whole requires areduced amount of storage space when compared to a case where a separateserver storing animation, character images, and movements is providedfor animation production

The members constituting the devices (3, 5, 71, 9) and the like shown inFIG. 1 may be function blocks realized by a CPU or other operating meansrunning a program stored on a recording medium, such as a ROM or RAM ormay be realized by means of hardware which handles the same process. Afurther alternative is a combination of hardware responsible for part ofthe process and operating means controlling the hardware and running aprogram responsible for the rest of the process. Further, there may beprovided a single operating means or multiple operating means connectedwith each other via an internal bus or various communications paths torun a program in concert.

Program data representative of the program itself or program-creatingdata is stored on a recording medium, and the recording medium isdistributed, or the program data is distributed by means of transmissionvia wired or wireless communications means, so that the program can berun by the operating means.

Here, the recording medium used in the distribution of the program datais preferably of removable types; however, the recording medium afterthe program data is distributed may be either removable or irremovable.The recording medium may be rewriteable or non-rewriteable, volatile ornon-volatile, and come in any shape and operate in any recording method,as long as the medium can store the program data. Some examples of suchrecording media include tapes, such as magnetic tapes and cassettetapes; magnetic disks, such as floppy disks and hard disks; and othertypes of disks including CD-ROMs, magneto-optical disks (MOs), minidisks (MDs), and digital video disks (DVDs). The recording medium may bea card, such as an IC card or an optical card, or a semiconductor memoryof any type, such as a mask ROM, an EPROM, an EEPROM, or a flash ROM.

The program data may be codes to instruct the operating means for allthe procedures of the processes or, if there is already a basic program(for example, operating system or library) which can perform part or theentirety of the processes by calling up according to predeterminedprocedures, the procedures may be partly or entirely replaced with codesor a pointer to instruct the operating means to call up the basicprogram.

Further, the storage manner to store the program data on the recordingmedium may be a storage manner whereby operating means can access andrun the program as if it was loaded in actual memory, one before loadinginto actual memory and after installation in a local recording medium(for example, actual memory or hard disk) which is always accessible tooperating means, or one before installation in the local recordingmedium from a network or mobile recording medium. The program data isnot restricted to compiled object codes, but may be source codes, orintermediate codes created in the middle of interpretation orcompilation. In either case, the same effects can be obtained regardlessof in which manner the program data is stored on the recording medium,as long as the program data can be converted by a single or combinedoperations of decompression, decoding, interpretation, compilation,linking, or loading into an actual memory so that it is executable tothe operating means.

Now, referring to the flow chart in FIG. 2, the following will describeoperations of the calling-end terminal station 3 calling up thecalled-end terminal station 5 in the foregoing communications system 1.In step 1 (hereinafter, will be abbreviated as S1), as a user instructsthe calling instructing unit 33 to make a call by, for example, enteringa called-end terminal station number, the calling instructing unit 33,in S2, instructs the call-up control unit 71 on the communicationsnetwork 7 to inform of the called-end terminal station number andprepare for connection to the called-end terminal station 5. As will bedetailed later, the call-up control unit 71, when it becomes ready,enters standby mode and delays the call-up of the called-end terminalstation 5 until otherwise instructed by the called-end terminal station5.

Further, as the calling instructing unit 33 picks up a callinginstruction in S1, the calling-end-terminal-station-number transmittingunit 34 instructs the transmitting/receiving unit 31 to transmit thenumber of the device (calling-end terminal station number) stored in amemory (not shown) to the calling party information server 9 in S3. Thecalled-end terminal station number transmitting unit 35 then receivesthe called-end terminal station number from the calling instructing unit33 and transmits it to the calling party information server 9.

Meanwhile, in the calling party information server 9, the numberreceiving unit 92 receives the calling-end terminal station number andthe called-end terminal station number from the two terminal stationnumber transmitting units 34, 35 in S4, and thecalling-party-information acquiring unit 93 acquires calling partyinformation that matches the two numbers by referring to the callingparty information DB 91 in S5. Then, in S6 and S7, the calling partyinformation transmitting unit 94 calls the called-end terminal stationnumber received in S4 and if settings are made in advance so that thecalled-end terminal station 5 will receive calling party information(YES in S6), transmits the calling party information acquired in S5(S7).

As the calling party information is transmitted over the communicationsnetwork 7 and received by the calling-party-information receiving unit54 in the called-end terminal station 5 (S8), the standby-exitinstructing unit 55 instructs the call-up control unit 71 of thecommunications network 7 to exit from standby mode (S9). If thecalled-end terminal station 5 refuses to receive the calling partyinformation (NO in S6), the standby-exit instructing unit 55 issues aninstruction to exit from standby mode in S9 without the calling partyinformation being transmitted over the communications network 7.

Here, the call-up control unit 71, responding to the instruction in S2,has prepared to connect to the called-end terminal station 5 beforeentering standby mode shown in S11. Under these circumstances, thecall-up control unit 71, when receiving an instruction from thestandby-exit instructing unit 55, exits standby mode in S12, and callsup the called-end terminal station 5.

Meanwhile, the calling party information reproducing unit 52 in thecalled-end terminal station 5 receives from thecalling-party-information receiving unit 54 the calling partyinformation received in S7 and has prepared for reproduction from thecalling party information. Upon the detection of a call-up from thecall-up control unit 71, the calling party information reproducing unit52 alerts the user to the reception of the call based on the callingparty information in S14 if such settings are made in advance (YES inS13).

Here, as shown in, for example, FIG. 1, suppose that thecalling-party-information acquiring unit 93 in the calling partyinformation server 9 stores calling party information C11 correspondingto a calling-end terminal station number A1 and a called-end terminalstation number B1 and calling party information C21 corresponding to acalling-end terminal station number A2 and a called-end terminal stationnumber B1. The arrangement enables the calling party informationreproducing unit 52 in a called-end terminal station 5 (terminal station5 of the terminal station number B1) to alert the user to the receptionof a call based on the calling party information C11 if the call comesfrom the terminal station 3 of the terminal station number A1 and on thecalling party information C21 if the call comes from the terminalstation 3 of the terminal station number A2. Consequently, thecalled-end terminal station 5 is capable of alerting its user to a callbased on the calling party information which matches the calling-endterminal station 3 with no special settings made at the called party.

Further, if the user responds to the call (YES in S15) by, for example,pressing a predetermined voice communication button, connection isestablished between the calling-end terminal station 3 and thecalled-end terminal station 5, and the voice communication processingunits 32, 53 in the two terminal stations 3, 5 transmits voice of therespective users to each other to enable voice communication betweenthem (S16). When voice communication is completed and an instruction ismade for the termination of the connection, the connection between thetwo terminal stations 3, 5 is terminated (S17).

If the user does not respond to the call (NO in S15), communication maybe terminated with no connection established between the calling-endterminal station 3 and the called-end terminal station 5 or thecalled-end terminal station 5 may notify the calling-end terminalstation 3 that the terminal station 5 cannot respond to the call by, forexample, transmitting a predetermined, voice or animated image returnmessage.

If the user of the called-end terminal station 5 has made in advancethose settings that do not allow reproduction from the calling partyinformation (NO in S13), the calling party information reproducing unit52 in the called-end terminal station 5 alerts the user to a call notbased on the calling party information, but by, for example,predetermined sound or vibration. Either different or common settingsmay be made for different calling-end terminal station numbers whetherto reproduce an alert based on the calling party information.

In either event, it can be determined at the called-end terminal station5 whether to allow reproduction from on the calling party information,enabling the prevention of reproduction from calling party informationthat the user of the called-end terminal station 5 does not want toreceive, for example, unpleasant sound and movies. In the example shownin FIG. 2, if the called-end terminal station 5 refuses to receivecalling party information, the transmission of the calling partyinformation is suspended (NO in S6). This is not the only availableoption: for example, substantially the same effects are obtained byreceiving the calling party information but not reproducing an alertfrom the information. However, when no alert is necessarily reproducedfrom calling party information as in the present embodiment, suspendingthe transmission of the calling party information will reduce thetraffic on the communications network 7.

As detailed above, in the communications system 1 of the presentembodiment, the calling-party-information receiving unit 54 in thecalled-end terminal station 5 receives the calling party informationdetermined by the user of the calling-end terminal station 3, and thecalling party information reproducing unit 52 plays an alert reproducedfrom the calling party information, alerting the user of the called-endterminal station 5 to a call. As a result, the calling party informationfrom which an alert is reproduced when a call is received (S14) beforethe voice communication step (S16) changes according to an instructionfrom the user of the calling-end terminal station 3. This enables theuser of the called-end terminal station 5 to figure out the callingparty, emergency, etc. from the calling party information to determinein S15 whether to accept the call.

Further, the calling party information is determined at the calling end,and the user of the called-end terminal station 5 does not have to makeany settings. This saves the user of the called-end terminal station 5from heavy workload even when the calling party information (alert data)contains animation or other kinds of media that require a lot of work tocreate.

Note that the determination of the calling party information at thecalling end requires more work to be done at the calling end than withconventional technologies where settings are made at the called end.Nevertheless, if the calling party information contains a portrait,trademark, other kind of data that is unique to the calling party, acommon set of data can be used for all called parties. Hence, the calledand calling parties can save a combined amount of work.

Here, the calling party information may be directly transmitted from thecalling-end terminal station 3 to the called-end terminal station 5.However, in the present embodiment, there is provided the calling partyinformation server 9 separately from the calling-end terminal station 3,and the calling party information is transmitted from the calling partyinformation server 9. As a result, the traffic between the calling-endterminal station 3 and the communications network 7 can be reduced whencompared to the calling-end terminal station 3 transmitting the callingparty information for every call. Here, the calling party informationservers 9 may be less than the calling-end terminal stations 3,communication capability is enhanced more readily between the callingparty information server 9 and the communications network 7 than betweenthe calling-end terminal station 3 and the communications network 7.Further, communications capacity can be more readily improved than thecalling-end terminal station 3 connected to the communications network 7via a wireless communications path, since the calling party informationserver 9 is not mobile and connected via wires. As a result, the trafficon the communications network 7 can be reduced by transmitting thecalling party information from the calling party information server 9.

In addition, the calling-end terminal station 3 often has limitedstorage space for reduced dimensions and weight and hence bettermobility, when compared to the calling party information server 9 whichis installed permanently at a fixed place. However, in the forgoingconfiguration, the calling-end terminal station 3 does not need to storecalling party information and can cut down on its storage space. Thisoffers better mobility than in cases where the calling-end terminalstation 3 stores the calling party information for transmission.

Further, in the communications system 1 of the present embodiment, withthe communications network 7 provided with a call-up control unit 71,the call-up of the called-end terminal station 5 and connection betweenthe calling-end terminal station 3 and the called-end terminal station 5are delayed until the transmission of the calling party information fromthe calling party information server 9 to the called-end terminalstation 5 is completed. This enables the called-end terminal station 5to receive calling party information from the calling party informationserver 9, not the calling-end terminal station 3, with no trouble evenwhen there is only one line available to connect to the communicationsnetwork 7. As a result, reduces the traffic on the communicationsnetwork 7 and simplifies the configuration of the called-end terminalstation 5 in comparison with the called-end terminal station 5establishing connection to both the calling-end terminal station 3 andthe calling party information server 9.

Embodiment 2

Incidentally, embodiment 1 described the calling party informationserver 9 identifying calling party information based on the calling-endterminal station number and the called-end terminal station number. Incontrast, referring to FIG. 3 to FIG. 5, the present embodiment willdescribe a calling-end terminal station selecting calling partyinformation upon making a call.

Referring to FIG. 3, a calling-end terminal station 3 a in acommunications system 1 a of the present embodiment includes a callingparty information selector unit 36, replacing the called-end terminalstation number transmitting unit 35, which selects one of predeterminedsets of calling party information for use with a current call; and aselected information transmitting unit 37 which transmits selectedinformation representative of the selected set of calling partyinformation to a calling party information server 9 a. Further, thecalling-end terminal station 3 a includes a calling party informationsummary DB 38 which stores images and text which schematically representcalling party information registered with the calling party informationserver 9 a, enabling the calling party information selector unit 36 toshow the gist of calling party information to the user and encourage theuser to make a selection.

Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 4, the calling party information server 9 aincludes a calling party information DB 91 a which stores a calling-endterminal station number and a combination of a set of selectedinformation and a set of calling party information, in place of thecalling party information DB 91 which stores a calling-end terminalstation number and a combination of a called-end terminal station numberand a set of calling party information. The calling party informationserver 9 a further includes a selected information receiving unit 96which receives the selected information, and thecalling-party-information acquiring unit 93 identifies the calling partyinformation to be transmitted to the called-end terminal station 5 basedon the calling-end terminal station number received by the numberreceiving unit 92 and the selected information received by the selectedinformation receiving unit 96 in reference to the calling partyinformation DB 91 a. The calling-end terminal station number and acombination of the selected information and the calling partyinformation are registered from the calling-end terminal station 3 a oranother information device used by the user of the terminal station 3 ato the calling party information DB 91 a in the calling partyinformation server 9 a prior to placement of a call in the same manneras in embodiment 1.

In this configuration, as shown in FIG. 5, in S21 executed prior tothose steps shown in FIG. 2, the calling party information selector unit36 refers to the calling party information summary DB 38 to present thegist of the calling party information registered in the calling partyinformation server 9 a and selects a set of calling party informationfor use with the current call according to an instruction from the user,under predetermined conditions, etc. Further, S22 to S24 provided inplace of S3 to S5, the selected information representative of thecalling party information for use with the current call and thecalling-end terminal station number are transmitted from thecalling-end-terminal-station-number transmitting unit 34 and theselected information transmitting unit 37 in the calling-end terminalstation 3 a to the number receiving unit 92 and the selected informationreceiving unit 96 in the calling party information server 9 a. Thecalling-party-information acquiring unit 93 reads the calling partyinformation DB 91 a for calling party information which matches theselected information and the calling-end terminal station number. Thesame operations as those in FIG. 2 are performed in subsequentprocesses.

With the configuration, for every call, a set of calling partyinformation for use with the call is selected from sets of calling partyinformation registered in advance in the calling party informationserver 9 a. This makes it possible to determine calling partyinformation when making a call, which is not the case in embodiment 1where the calling party information is determined which corresponds tothe calling-end terminal station number and the called-end terminalstation number. The calling-end terminal station 3 a thereby can make aninstruction for transmission of calling party information more suitableto situations of the calling party. As a result, the called-end terminalstation 5 can perform reproduction, based on calling party information,which better suits the situations at the time of calling and moreappropriately conveys the situations at the time of calling to the userof the called-end terminal station 5.

Further, the calling-end terminal station 3 a of the present embodimentincludes a calling party information summary DB 38 which presents thegist of calling party information available for selection by the callingparty information selector unit 36 to encourage the user to make aselection, with less work.

Embodiment 3

Incidentally, embodiment 1 described the calling-end terminal stationwhich instructs the calling party information server to transmit callingparty information. Referring to FIG. 6 to FIG. 9, the present embodimentwill describe the called-end terminal station which, in response to ainstruction form the calling-end terminal station, instructs the callingparty information server for transmission.

A communications system 1 b of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG.6, is configured so that the calling party information server 9 receivesthe calling end and called-end terminal station numbers from thecalled-end terminal station 5 b and that the called-end terminal stationnumber transmitting unit 35 shown in FIG. 1 is missing from thecalling-end terminal station 3 b as shown in FIG. 7. Thecalling-end-terminal-station-number transmitting unit 34 in thecalling-end terminal station 3 b is configured so as to transmit thecalling-end terminal station number not to the calling party informationserver 9, but to the called-end terminal station 5 b.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 8, the called-end terminal station 5 bincludes, in addition to the configuration in FIG. 1, a calling-endterminal station number receiving unit 56 which receives a calling-endterminal station number from the calling-end terminal station 3 b andcalling end and called-end terminal station number transmitting units57, 58 which transmit the calling-end terminal station number and apredetermined number of the device under consideration (called-endterminal station number) to the calling party information server 9. Inthe present embodiment, since the called-end terminal station 5 breceives a calling-end terminal station number as transmitted datarecited in a claim/claims, the calling-end terminal station numberreceiving unit 56 corresponds to the receiving means recited in aclaim/claims and the calling-party-information receiving unit 54 to thealert data designating means and setting means recited there.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the communications network 7 b of thepresent embodiment includes, in addition to the call-up control unit 71in FIG. 1, a first called-end terminal station reaction detecting unit72 which detects success or failure of the transmission of a calling-endterminal station number from the calling-end terminal station 3 b to thecalled-end terminal station 5 b, and a second called-end terminalstation reaction detecting unit 73 which detects success or failure ofthe transmission of calling party information from the calling partyinformation server 9 to the called-end terminal station 5 b. The tworeaction detecting units 72, 73 determine success or failure of thetransmission according to, for example, whether or not a receiving endreports completion of the transmission after the transmitting end startsthe transmission and before a predetermined time elapses, and iftransmission fails, instructs the call-up control unit 71 to exit fromconnect ready (standby) mode and notifies the calling-end terminalstation 3 b that connect could not established.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 7, the calling-end terminal station 3 b ofthe present embodiment is provided with a connection failurenotification unit 39 which notifies the user of the reported connectionfailure. The calling-end-terminal-station-number transmitting unit 34and the calling party information transmitting unit 94, constituting thetransmitting end, are configured to notify the reaction detecting units72, 73 of commencement of transmission, and the calling-end terminalstation number receiving unit 56 and the calling-party-informationreceiving unit 54, constituting the receiving end, are configured to,when reception is completed, notify the reaction detecting units 72, 73of the completion.

In the foregoing configuration, as shown in FIG. 9, S31 to S35 areexecuted in place of S3 in FIG. 2, with S36 to S39 newly added. S11 andits subsequent steps here are no different from those in FIG. 2, and thefollowing description will focus on those steps executed prior to S11.

In S1 and S2, an instruction for a call is issued with the call-upcontrol unit 71 of the communications network 7 b being notified of arequest to get prepared for connection to the called-end terminalstation 5 b. Then, in S31, the calling-end-terminal-station-numbertransmitting unit 34 in the calling-end terminal station 3 b transmitsthe calling-end terminal station number to the called-end terminalstation 5 b by, for example, adding a predetermined sub-address to thenumber notification of the calling-end terminal station, calling thecalled-end terminal station 5 b, and transmitting over a packet network.The calling-end-terminal-station-number transmitting unit 34, in S32,notifies the first called-end terminal station reaction detecting unit72 of the communications network 7 b of the transmission of thecalling-end terminal station number.

Meanwhile, in the called-end terminal station 5 b, the calling-endterminal station number receiving unit 56, when receiving thecalling-end terminal station number (S33), notifies the first called-endterminal station reaction detecting unit 72 of the successful reception.This causes the first called-end terminal station reaction detectingunit 72 to determine that the calling-end terminal station number hasbeen successfully transmitted (YES in S34), in which case, the callingend and called-end terminal station number transmitting units 57, 58 inthe called-end terminal station 5 b transmit the calling end andcalled-end terminal station numbers to the calling party informationserver 9 in S35.

The calling party information server 9 performs S4 to S7 insubstantially the same manner as in FIG. 2. In S7, the calling partyinformation transmitting unit 94 notifies the second called-end terminalstation reaction detecting unit 73 of the commencement of thetransmission of the calling party information as in S32 whentransmitting the calling party information (S36). Further, the secondcalled-end terminal station reaction detecting unit 73 determines, as inS34, success or failure of the transmission of the calling partyinformation according to whether it receives any notice of thecompletion of the reception from the calling-party-information receivingunit 54 in the called-end terminal station 5 b. If the transmission issuccessful, S9 and its subsequent steps are executed.

Meanwhile, for example, when the called-end terminal station 5 b movesout of its communications coverage or cannot respond for any otherreasons, the calling-end terminal station number receiving unit 56, thecalling-party-information receiving unit 54, etc. cannot notify the tworeaction detecting units 72, 73 of the completion of the transmission,in which case (NO in S34 or S37), the two reaction detecting units 72,73 determine that they cannot connect to the called-end terminal station5 b and instruct the call-up control unit 71 of the communicationsnetwork 7 b to exit standby mode in S38 and instruct the connectionfailure notification unit 39 in the calling-end terminal station 3 b inS39 to notify the user of the terminal station 3 b of the failedconnection by, for example, displaying or replaying a predeterminedmessage or voice.

In the foregoing configuration, as with embodiment 1, the called-endterminal station 5 b alerts the user of the called-end terminal station5 b to a call based on calling party information specified by the userof the calling-end terminal station 3 b. As a result, the same effectsare obtained as in embodiment 1. Further, in the present embodiment, thetwo reaction detecting units 72, 73 are provided to instruct the call-upcontrol unit 71 to exit standby mode when the called-end terminalstation 5 b is unable to respond. As a result, the standby time can becut down for more efficient use of resources of the communicationsnetwork 7 b when the called-end terminal station 5 b is unable torespond, in comparison to configurations which do not detect thereaction of the called-end terminal station 5 b

Embodiment 4

Embodiment 3 described, in a configuration similar to that of embodiment1, the called-end terminal station 5 b instructing the calling partyinformation server 9 to transmit calling party information in responseto an instruction from the calling-end terminal station 3 b. Bycontrast, the present embodiment will describe, in a configurationsimilar to that of embodiment 2, a called end instructing the callingparty information server to transmit calling party information inreference to FIGS. 10-13.

A communications system 1 c in accordance with the present embodiment isconfigured, as shown in FIG. 10, so that a calling-end terminal station3 c transmits selected information to a calling party information server9 a, and a called-end terminal station 5 c transmits a calling-endterminal station number to the calling party information server 9 a inresponse to an instruction from the calling-end terminal station 3 c.

Specifically, referring to FIG. 11, the calling-end terminal station 3 cis different from the calling-end terminal station 3 a of FIG. 3 in thatthe former additionally includes a connection failure notification unit39 of FIG. 7 and is thereby configured so that acalling-end-terminal-station-number transmitting unit 34 can notify thecalled-end terminal station 5 c of a calling-end terminal stationnumber. Further, since information is selectively transmitted from thecalling-end terminal station 3 c to the calling party information server9 a, as shown in FIG. 12, the called-end terminal station numbertransmitting unit 58 is missing from the called-end terminal station 5 cof the present embodiment when compared with the configuration in FIG.8. Similarly to the case in FIG. 6, a communications network 7 b has tworeaction detecting units 72, 73 so that a transmitting and receivingends can notify of the start and end of a transmission. In the presentembodiment, the calling party information is designated as identifiabletransmitted data and received as such; therefore, similarly toembodiments 1, 2, the calling-party-information receiving unit 54 is anequivalent to the receiving means, alert data designating means, andsetting means recited in claims.

In this configuration, as shown in FIG. 13, the selecting step (S21) inFIG. 5 is executed in addition to those steps in FIG. 9. Further,similarly to the case in FIG. 9, in S1, S2, and S31 to S35, thecalling-end terminal station 3 c notifies the called-end terminalstation 5 c of a calling-end terminal station number, the called-endterminal station 5 c notifies the calling party information server 9 aof the calling-end terminal station number to instruct for atransmission of calling party information. However, in the presentembodiment, the selected information is transmitted from the calling-endterminal station 3 c; therefore, in S41, the selected informationtransmitting unit 37 in the calling-end terminal station 3 c transmitsthe information selected in S21 representing the calling partyinformation to the calling party information server 9 a.

Thus, similarly to embodiment 2, the called-end terminal station Screproduces calling party information which is better suited to theconditions when a call is made, so that it can more appropriately informthe user of the called-end terminal station 5 c of the conditions whenthe call is made. Besides, similarly to embodiment 3, since the tworeaction detecting units 72, 73 are provided, the standby time can becut short when the called-end terminal station 5 c cannot respond,better utilizing the resources of the communications network 7 b.

Embodiment 5

Embodiments 1-4 described the calling party information beingtransmitted to a called-end terminal station for each call. By contrast,in reference to FIGS. 6, 14, 15, the present embodiment will describe aconfiguration whereby the transmission of the calling party informationthat is stored in the called-end terminal station is suspended.Similarly to embodiments 1, 3, the present embodiment will describe thecalling party information identified as a combination of acalling-end-terminal-station number and a called-end-terminal-stationnumber.

As shown in FIG. 6, there is provided a called-end terminal station 5 din a communications system 1 d of the present embodiment. As shown inFIG. 14, the called-end terminal station 5 d is different from theconfiguration in FIG. 8 in that the station 5 d additionally includes areceived-calling-party-information DB (storage means) 59 and acalling-party-information acquiring unit (calling party informationacquiring means or transmission inhibiting means) 60. Thereceived-calling-party-information DB 59 accumulatively stores thecalling party information received so far, in association with acalling-end-terminal-station number. When thecalling-end-terminal-station number transmitting unit 57 receives acalling-end-terminal-station number, the calling-party-informationacquiring unit 60 accesses the received-calling-party-information DB 59and detects whether the calling party information on thecalling-end-terminal-station number is stored. In the presentembodiment, similarly to embodiment 3, the calling-end-terminal-stationnumber receiving unit 56 is an equivalent to the receiving means recitedin claims, and the calling party information receiving unit 54 is anequivalent to the alert data designating means and the setting means.

In the configuration, as shown in FIG. 15, in addition to those stepsshown in FIG. 9, when the calling-end-terminal-station number receivingunit 56 in the called-end terminal station 5 d has successfully receiveda calling-end-terminal-station number (YES in S34), thecalling-party-information acquiring unit 60 accessesreceived-calling-party-information DB 59 in S51 to determine whetherthere is stored calling party information corresponding to thecalling-end-terminal-station number. If there is stored such callingparty information (YES in S51), there is no need to receive the callingparty information from the calling party information server 9;therefore, S9 and succeeding steps in FIG. 2 are executed so that thecalled-end terminal station 5 d causes the call-up control unit 71 to goout of standby mode and the calling party information reproducing unit52 alerts, in response to a call-up from the calling-end terminalstation 3 b, the user to the received call by reproducing the callingparty information found in S51.

In contrast, if there is stored no calling party informationcorresponding to the calling-end-terminal-station number in thereceived-calling-party-information DB 59 (NO in S51), for example, ifthe outgoing call from the calling-end terminal station 3 b has notreceived, S35 and succeeding steps are executed including the twoterminal station number transmitting units 57, 58 transmitting thecalling-end-terminal-station number and the called-end-terminal-stationnumber to the calling party information server 9 in response to aninstruction made from the calling-party-information acquiring unit 60.

In the configuration, when the calling party information is alreadystored in the called-end terminal station 5 d, the transmission ofcalling party information from the calling party information server 9 tothe called-end terminal station 5 d is suspended. As a result, callingparty information is transmitted infrequently compared to when callingparty information is transmitted for each call. This reduces trafficfrom the communications network 7 b to the called-end terminal station 5d and further reduces the traffic on the communications network 7 b.

Embodiment 6

Similarly to embodiments 2, 4, in the configuration in which the callingparty information is identified as a combination of acalling-end-terminal-station number and selected information, similarlyto embodiment 5, the present embodiment will describe a case where thecalled-end terminal station is provided with areceived-calling-party-information DB in reference to FIGS. 16-18.

As shown in FIG. 16, a communications system 1 e of the presentembodiment is configured so that both the calling-end-terminal-stationnumber and the selected information are conveyed from a calling-endterminal station 3 e to a called-end terminal station 5 e, and only whenthere is stored no calling party information corresponding to both in areceived-calling-party-information DB 59 e in the called-end terminalstation 5 e, the called-end terminal station 5 e instructs the callingparty information server 9 a to transmit calling party information.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 17, the called-end terminal station 5 eof the present embodiment is different from the configuration in FIG. 12in that the station 5 d additionally includes areceived-calling-party-information DB 59 e, a selected informationreceiving unit 61, and a calling-party-information acquiring unit 60 e.The received-calling-party-information DB 59 e accumulatively stores thecalling party information receive so far, in association with acalling-end-terminal-station number and selected information. Theselected information receiving unit 61 receives selected informationfrom the selected information transmitting unit 37 (see FIG. 11) in thecalling-end terminal station 3 e. The calling-party-informationacquiring unit 60 e refers to the received-calling-party-information DB59 e based on the combination of the calling-end-terminal-station numberand the selected information, and if there is stored no calling partyinformation corresponding to the combination, instructs thecalling-end-terminal-station number and the selected informationconveyed by the calling-end terminal station 3 e to be transmitted tothe calling-end-terminal-station number transmitting unit 57 and theselected information transmitting unit 62. Incidentally, in the presentembodiment, the calling-end-terminal-station number receiving unit 56and the selected information receiving unit 61 are an equivalent to thereceiving means recited in claims.

In the configuration, as shown in FIG. 18, the substantially sameprocess as in FIG. 13 is done; however, in S61 to S63 provided toreplace S31 to S33, the calling-end terminal station 3 e transmits boththe calling-end-terminal-station number and the selected information tothe called-end terminal station 5 e. Further, when both have beensuccessfully received (YES in S34), the calling-party-informationacquiring unit 60 e in the called-end terminal station 5 e refers to thereceived-calling-party-information DB 59 e and, if there is alreadystored calling party information corresponding to them both (YES inS64), executes S9 and succeeding steps in FIG. 2 similarly to FIG. 15,so as to alert the user to the reception of the call by reproducing thecalling party information. Meanwhile, if there is stored nocorresponding calling party information (NO in S64), thecalling-party-information acquiring unit 60 e instructs thecalling-end-terminal-station number transmitting unit 57 and theselected information transmitting unit 62, conveys thecalling-end-terminal-station number and the selected information to thecalling party information server 9 a, and make an instruction totransmit the calling party information in S65. Thereafter, S24 andsucceeding steps in FIG. 13 are executed, the called-end terminalstation 5 e reproduces the calling party information conveyed from thecalling party information server 9 a to alert the user to the receptionof the call.

In the configuration, similarly to embodiment 5, when the calling partyinformation is already stored in the stored called-end terminal stationSe, the transmission of the calling party information from the callingparty information server 9 a to the called-end terminal station 5 e issuspended. As a result, in addition to the advantages available inembodiments 2, 4, the traffic from the communications network 7 b to thecalled-end terminal station Se can be reduced, and the traffic on thecommunications network 7 b can be reduced.

In embodiments 5, 6, the calling party information stored in thereceived-calling-party-information DB (59, 59 e) is reused; therefore,even if calling party information is modified at the calling end, thecalled-end terminal station (5 d, 5 e) may reproduce unmodified callingparty information. Therefore, preferably, the calling-end terminalstations (3 d, 3 e) and the calling party information servers (9, 9 a)transmit to the called-end terminal station the time last modified,valid period, flag, or any other information on the calling partyinformation which shows whether there has been any change in the callingparty information, and the called-end terminal station stores theinformation too in the received-calling-party-information DB to confirmwhether there has been any modification. As the managing method ofcalling party information upon modification, one of the two is employed:whether to reproduce new calling party information in response to auser's instruction and whether to save both.

Further, in the foregoing two embodiments, the calling party informationis stored. Therefore, when the called-end terminal station issufficiently powerful, the original calling party information specifiedby the calling-end terminal station is preferably stored instead of thecalling party information converted by the calling party informationserver according to the display capability of the called-end terminalstation. In this case, the called-end terminal station needs toreproduce the calling party information while converting according toits own display capability; however, as the calling party informationused when the called-end terminal station makes a call, the callingparty information stored in the received-calling-party-information DBcan be reused.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same waymay be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as adeparture from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all suchmodifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intendedto be included within the scope of the following claims.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the method of calling up a called party in accordance withthe invention, the alert data reproduced by a called-end device upon thereception of a call before communications changes according to thecalling party information determine at the calling end. Therefore,regardless of the fact that no alert data corresponding to the callingparty is specified at the called end, the user of the called-end devicecan rely on the alert data to, for example, predict the calling party,assume how emergent the call is, and determine whether to respond to thecall.

1. A method of calling a called party, such that prior to thecommunications step of causing a device on the calling end tocommunicate with a device on the called end over a communicationsnetwork, the called end is selectively alerted to the reception of acall by reproducing alert data at the called end, the method comprising:a determining step of determining calling party information at a callingend; a transmitting step of conveying, to the called-end device,transmitted data representative of the calling party informationdetermined in the determining step; an alert data designating step ofdesignating the calling party information represented by the transmitteddata as the alert data; and a determination step of determining at thecalled end whether the designated alert data should be reproduced oralerting should be performed according to predetermined settings withthe reception of the call.
 2. The method of calling up a called party asdefined in claim 1, further comprising the specifying step of specifyingin advance whether the calling party information is designated as thealert data.
 3. The method of calling up a called party as defined inclaim 1, wherein the determining step includes the selecting step ofselecting calling party information to be used in placement of a callfrom predetermined multiple sets of data that can be designated ascalling party information when the call is placed.
 4. The method ofcalling up a called party as defined in claim 1, wherein thetransmitting step includes the step in which a calling party informationserver provided on the communications network to store calling partyinformation transmits to the called-end device calling party informationas transmitted data in response to an instruction from the calling-enddevice.
 5. The method of calling up a called party as defined in claim1, further comprising the step in which, if the calling partyinformation represented by the transmitted data received is not storedon the called-end device, the called-end device receives calling partyinformation from a calling party information server provided on thecommunications network to store calling party information.
 6. The methodof calling up a called party as defined in either one of claims 4 and 5,further, comprising the timing adjusting step of delaying lineconnection between the calling-end device and the called-end deviceuntil the calling party information server completely transmits thecalling party information.
 7. The method of calling a called party asclaimed in claim 1, wherein determination of whether or not alert datashould be reproduced is performed in accordance with a setting, made inadvance by the called party, corresponding to the conveyed calling partyinformation.
 8. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising astep in which the calling party information is designated as the alertdata if received calling party information represented by thetransmitted data is stored on the called-end device.
 9. The method asdefined in claim 1, further comprising a step in which transmission ofnew calling party information from the communications network isinhibited if the received calling party information represented by thetransmitted data is stored on the called-end device.
 10. Acommunications apparatus including incoming call alerting means forselectively alerting a user to an incoming call by reproducingpredetermined alert data, and communications means for when the incomingcall is accepted, communicating with a calling-end device over acommunications network, the apparatus comprising: receiving means forreceiving from the communications network transmitted datarepresentative of calling party information specified by the calling-enddevice; alert data designating means for designating the calling partyinformation represented by the transmitted data as the alert data; anddetermining means for determining if the designated alert data should bereproduced or alerting should be performed according to predeterminedsettings with the reception of the call.
 11. The communicationsapparatus as defined in claim 10, further comprising specifying meansfor specifying whether or not to activate the alert data designatingmeans.
 12. The communications apparatus as defined in claim 10, furthercomprising calling party information acquiring means for accessing apredetermined calling party information server based on the transmitteddata to receive calling party information represented by the transmitteddata.
 13. The communications apparatus as defined in claim 10, furthercomprising: storage means for accumulatively storing calling partyinformation in association with transmitted data received; andtransmission inhibiting means for, if there is stored calling partyinformation corresponding to transmitted data received by the receivingmeans in the storage means, inhibiting transmission of new calling partyinformation from the communications network.
 14. The communicationsapparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the determining means refersto a setting, made in advance by the user, corresponding to the receivedcalling party information to determine if the alert data should bereproduced.
 15. The communications apparatus as defined in claim 10,further comprising: storage means for accumulatively storing callingparty information in association with the transmitted data thusreceived; and means, provided on the communications network, for causingthe called-end device to receive calling party information from acalling party information server storing the calling party informationif the calling party information corresponding to the transmitted datareceived by the receiving means is not stored in the storage means. 16.The communications apparatus as defined in claim 10, further comprising:storage means for accumulatively storing calling party information inassociation with the transmitted data thus received; and designatingmeans for designating the calling party information as alert data if thecalling party information corresponding to the transmitted data receivedby the receiving means is stored in the storage means.
 17. A call-upcontrol system including a call-up control device, provided on acommunications network, and connected with a calling-end device, acalled-end device, a calling party information server, and a firstdetecting unit, the first detecting unit upon a transmission of acalling-end terminal station number from the calling-end device to thecalled-end device having been commenced during an attempt to establishconnection between the called-end device and the calling-end device,detecting if said transmission is successful, wherein the call-upcontrol device exits from a standby mode in which the call-up controldevice is attempting to establish connection between the called-enddevice and the calling-end device, when the first detecting unit detectsthat the transmission is not successful.
 18. The call-up control systemof claim 17, wherein the call-up control device is further connectedwith a second detecting unit, the second detecting unit detecting if atransmission of calling party information from the calling partyinformation server to the called-end device is successful; and thecall-up control device exits from a standby mode in which the call-upcontrol device is attempting to establish connection between thecalled-end device and the calling-end device, when the second detectingunit detects that the transmission is not successful.
 19. A method ofcalling a called party in which a device on a called end is alerted tothe reception of a call from a device on the calling end prior toestablishment of call communication between the calling-end device andthe called-end device, the method comprising the steps of: preparing acall communication connection in a communication network between thecalling-end device and the called-end device; transmitting calling partyinformation from a server to the called-end device; detecting if thetransmission of the calling party information to the called-end deviceis successful; and determining if the call communication connectionbetween the called-end device and the calling-end device should beestablished in accordance with the result of the detection.